Great Stone of Fourstones

The Great Stone of Fourstones, or the "Big Stone" as it is known locally, is a glacial deposit on the moorlands of Tatham Fells, England, straddling the county border[1] between North Yorkshire and Lancashire, near Bentham in the District of Craven.

The Great Stone of Fourstones
The Big Stone
The Great Stone of Fourstones
Location in the Forest of Bowland
Location in the City of Lancaster district
Location in North Yorkshire
LocationNear Bentham, North Yorkshire
OS gridSD669663
Coordinates54.0915°N 2.5064°W / 54.0915; -2.5064
The Great Stone, with Ingleborough in the background

The name suggests that there were once four stones, but now there is only one. The other three were possibly broken up for scythe sharpening stones,[2] or building stone, centuries ago. Large stones such as this were useful as boundary markers in the open countryside, and this one was used as a boundary marker for the Lancashire–Yorkshire boundary between Tatham and Bentham parishes.[3]

A local myth tells of how the stone was dropped by the devil, on his way to build Devil's Bridge at nearby Kirkby Lonsdale.[4]

The stone has 15 steps carved into the side of it to allow access to the top. It is not known when they were carved, but they are well worn from years of use.

References
  1. Ordnance Survey Map at MARIO, accessed 28 July 2018
  2. "Text on Geograph record". Geograph.org.uk. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  3. Winchester, Angus J. L. (2000). Discovering Parish Boundaries (2nd ed.). Shire Publications. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-7478-0470-3.
  4. Lofthouse, Jessica (1976). North-country folklore in Lancashire, Cumbria and the Pennine Dales. Robert Hale. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7091-5345-0.

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